This application makes reference to, incorporates the same herein, and claims all benefits accruing under 35 U.S.C. xc2xa7119 from my application COMPUTER filed with the Korean Industrial Property Office on Nov. 17, 2000 and there duly assigned Ser. No. 68606/2000.
1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a computer system and, more particularly, to a computer system having an improved stand structure.
2. Related Art
A computer system generally comprises a main body, a display device and an input device. To the main body are mounted a central processing unit (CPU), a random access memory (RAM) and a variety of cards, including a disk driver card, a graphic card, etc. The display unit is electrically connected to the main body so as to display an image by means of various devices within the main body. The input unit comprises a keyboard, a mouse, etc. which allow a user to input information as desired.
The main body or the display unit is supported on a stand. Generally, the stand is made of plastic and is molded integrally with the main body or the display unit, and it has a thickness which is sufficient to stand the weight thereof. Occasionally, a plastic stand holding the main body or the display unit and a metallic reinforcement plate reinforcing the strength of the stand are manufactured independently, and are then assembled to each other by means of a double-sided adhesive tape or a bond in an attempt to make them smaller and thinner so as to meet the user""s requests. However, such an arrangement used for a conventional computer system has shown a problem in that the plastic stand molded integrally with the computer must be made thick, considering the strength of the plastic material, and thereby the overall arrangement is enlarged in size. Where the stand and the reinforcement plate are separately manufactured, both are coupled by a double-sided adhesive tape or bond, making it complicated to manufacture the computer. Further, when the computer is used for a long time, the coupling force becomes weakened, and the stand and the reinforcement plate have a risk of being easily detached due to external impact while the computer is being carried.
The following are considered generally pertinent to the present invention but are burdened by the disadvantages set forth above: Korean patent publication No. 1996-19859 to Seung-Ryong Yang, entitled INSERTION MOLDED SYNTHETIC RESIN SUPPORT FOR A SHAFT ATTACHED TO A WALL, published on Jul. 18, 1996; Korean patent publication No. 1999-38990 to Byung-Kwan Jung, entitled ROTATION SUPPORT FOR LCD MONITOR, published on Nov. 5, 1999, Korean patent publication No. 1999-69546 to Chil-Hong Cho, entitled MONITOR STAND ASSEMBLY, published on Sep. 6, 1999, Japanese patent publication No. 57-197139 to Asano et al., entitled COMPOSITE MOLDING OF METAL PLATE AND RESIN, published on Dec. 3, 1982; Japanese patent publication No. 07-124997 to Nezu, entitled OUTSERT MOLDED ARTICLE, published on May 16, 1995; Japanese patent publication No. 07-285137 to Kimura, entitled COMPOSITE BODY CONSTITUTED OF DIFFERENT MATERIALS AND PRODUCTION THEREOF, published on Oct. 31, 1995; Japanese patent publication No. 08-025409 to Ishizuka, entitled MANUFACTURE OF HOUSING, published on Jan. 30, 1996; and Japanese patent publication No. 09-039022 to Kubo, entitled INTEGRATED MOLDED PRODUCT CONSISTING OF THERMOPLASTIC RESIN AND HARD SUBSTRATE, published on Feb. 10, 1997.
Accordingly, the present invention has been made keeping in mind the above-described shortcomings, and an object of the present invention is to provide a computer system having a compact and strong stand produced through a simplified process.
This and other objects of the present invention may be accomplished by provision of a computer system comprising a display unit, a main body to which the display unit is supportedly coupled, and a stand provided at one side of the main body for supporting the main body, wherein the stand includes a support plate supporting the main body, and a reinforcement plate insert-molded into the support plate so as to provide reinforced support for the support plate.
A plurality of through holes is preferably provided in the reinforcement plate, through which holes the support plate is coupled to the reinforcement plate when the support plate is molded.
Preferably, the support plate is made of plastic, the reinforcement plate is made of metal, and a plurality of slots is provided in the support plate.
The computer system further comprises a decoration cover removably attached to an outer surface of the support plate.